Before the tumultuous events of the 1960's ended his long life, "Sambo" prevailed in American culture as the cheerful and comical entertainer. Sambo was the stereotypical image of the black male which developed during the Colonial period, extended into all regions and classes, and pervaded all levels of the popular culture for over two centuries, so much so that he could be regarded as the first humorous icon.
As Joseph Boskin notes, virtually...